


The flower of my affection

by sasuhina_gal



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Baby's Breath, Event Cordinator Shiro, M/M, Shance Flower Exchange, Shiro and Kuro are twins, tattoo artist Lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 17:35:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasuhina_gal/pseuds/sasuhina_gal
Summary: Shiro has been secretly leaving sprigs of baby's breath for a cute tattoo artist until the world decieds he should stop hiding and tell him





	The flower of my affection

**Author's Note:**

> Hi @elryk-vail, I’m your gifter for the Shance flower exchange! Your flower choice was so beautiful, I never knew it meant all that stuff. Hoping you can see it in this fic. Enjoy!

He had done it when the shop was empty. Shiro prided himself in being able to get in and out of a building, with a bell on the door mind you, quickly enough that he wasn’t seen by anyone in the shop. He felt like a creeper though, as he poked his head around the wall with the window. Finally he saw him. He watched as the tan man looked around, no doubt looking for the person who didn’t listen when he asked for them to wait. His blue eyes caught the small sprig of pink tinted flowers waiting for him on the counter. The small smile Shiro could see warmed his heart as he watched the flowers being picked up and gently sniffed. With the smile still on his face, the man took the flowers into the back with him, leaving the shop looking empty again. Another secret flower left, Shiro had done it.

This had been going on for a while. Shiro worked as an event coordinator with his high school friend Allura. Allura was the head of the operations and Shiro was there to make sure her vision came to life. They had been working on a wedding and their bride wasn’t the usual quiet and innocent bride. She was a rocker, tattoos, motorcycle and all. She and Shiro had bonded over their love for black cats, so Allura put him in charge of bonding with the bride and helping to keep her calm when Allura wouldn’t give full details just so their clients would be totally surprised at the event reveal. She had told him she wanted a tattoo for her fiancée, so with permission from Allura, he accompanied his bride to her favourite tattoo place. And that’s when he met him.

His name was Lance and he was from Cuba, but grew up in Miami since he was 10 before coming up to LA. He was a fantastic artist and dedicated to his craft. Shiro watched as his bride explained to Lance what she wanted, a flower that would intertwine with one of her first tattoos, since her fiancée had been with her when she got it, completely silent to his affections for her at that time. She hadn’t been sure which flower she wanted but she wanted it to mean love, to encompass all the love she had for him.

“What about baby’s breath?” Lance suggested.

Shiro was surprised at that. Not many people paid attention to the meaning of baby’s breath, thinking it was only a filler flower.

“What do you think?” Lance asked him, his bright blue eyes attentive to him.

“Well, it means everlasting and undying love.” Shiro pointed out, Lance nodding in agreement

“Really?” the bride had asked

Lance nodded; already sketching out the possible looks of how the flower would intertwine with the quote she had on her arm. “Different colours have different meanings to. They’re usually white, so not a lot of people know the different meanings of it.”

“Why not yellow? You told us he’s always been a light in your life, always brightening your day.” Shiro suggested.

His bride nodded. “He is. Think you can make that work?” she asked

Lance turned the page in his sketch book, quickly working. “How about I make it look like water colours? They look a lot more delicate and you said this was the only time you’d be willing to wear white.”

Shiro knew he and Allura had been surprised when the bride said she wanted to wear all white. They were sure she’d want a coloured dress, but Allura didn’t complain.

“I trust you. I want to get it done today though, so it can be all healed up by the wedding.”

“Yes ma’am. I’ll put these on trace paper and we can decide where you want it. What about you big guy? Any tattoo?”

Shiro felt his face get hot when Lance looked over at him for some reason. He didn’t know then that he was starting to feel something for Lance. He watched Lance work diligently at making the tattoo, making the delicate flowers elegantly wrap around the words without blocking them. The concentrated face was something Shiro couldn’t stop staring at. Once the tattoo was done and as Shiro was driving the bride back to her house, he started to feel like he was listening to his brother Kuro tease him again.

“So, couldn’t help but notice you were staring at Lance.” The bride said, staring Shiro down

“Yes?”

“He’s pretty cute.”

He was. “I guess.”

“Hmm. Are you gay?”

Shiro looked over to his bride. She was very forward but he got used to it. He lived with Kuro his whole life

“Pan.” He corrected. “Why?”

“Lance is bi and very single. You were staring and a crushing a little.”

Shiro knew this, but he wasn’t about to give any sort of leverage over to his bride. The day of the wedding, Shiro had seen Lance around and he looked amazing in his suit. They talked a bit during the reception and Shiro couldn’t be sure if Lance was flirting. Point was, after the event was over, Shiro had every chance to ask Lance out since he wasn’t involved with a bride of his, but…Shiro couldn’t do dates. He knew he looked like a guy that could date someone and his polite personality had been complimented about being what people wanted in a guy, but actually going on a date? Shiro was a nervous wreck. It took him so long to talk to anyone he’d be interested in. Allura tried to help him, Kuro even trying, but nope. It never happened.

Shiro was going to give Lance the baby’s breath with Lance actually there when he finally decided to stop being so scared, but he chickened out at the last second. So it started. He would leave the flowers hoping he could actually stay long enough to tell Lance how he felt. His work as an event coordinator usually had him witnessing weddings and Shiro wanted that. He had no clue if Lance would be that person and he wouldn’t if he kept this up.

* * *

 

“You’re kinda pathetic.” Shiro would have loved to ignore his brother except for the fact he was right.

After his last attempt, Shiro had been avoiding the tattoo shop. Allura and Kuro knew how he was crushing on Lance and they would push him to say something. Allura was busy with a possible new client and Shiro had the day off. His twin brother invited him to get coffee, which Shiro could tell was actually an excuse to make fun of his brother for not saying anything.

“Please stop Kuro. I know I suck, it’s just every time I get up to try and say something, nothing comes out and I panic.” Shiro said, hiding his face in his arms.

“Gez, we’re the dictionary definition of how twins can be different. I would have boned that dude already; you can’t even say anything to your guy.”

“Yes thank you, I know.” Shiro said. He didn’t need to stay here and listen to his brother criticize him, but it was either that or Allura and honestly compared to Allura, Kuro was tame.

As if she knew she was being thought off, Shiro’s phone started to vibrate on the table as Allura’s ringtone played. Kuro picked the phone up while Shiro started patting around for it so he wouldn’t have pull his face away from his hands, but Kuro started poking the top of his twin’s head with it.

“Her majesty is calling.”

Shiro pulled himself up and took the phone answering. “Hello?”

_“I know it’s your day off but we got a call from Shay, the one who works at the flower shop we go to for our events? Her boyfriend proposed to her and she’s always wanted us to do an event, so of course she called us for her wedding. I want to get the ball rolling on this immediately. Her fiancée works as a tattoo artist so we need to go and meet them there now.”_ Allura said, not even greeting Shiro

“Shay? Yeah, of course. Um, I’m with Kuro though.”

_“Bring him along; just warn him if he doesn’t behave.”_ Allura warned

“He’ll be on his best behaviour if he knows what’s good for him.” Shiro said staring his brother down, who raised an eyebrow at the look. Kuro could be pretty scary but Allura was worse.

_“Good. I’ll text you the address. I don’t know if you’d have your book for notes, so just take as many as you can on your phone or we’ll record it if they’re not working and the buzzing of the machinery won’t interrupt us.”_

“Yes ma’am.” Shiro hung up and pulled out his wallet to pay for the drinks. “I’ve got an event to plan and Allura has given permission for you to come. You just have to behave.”

“But it’s so fun pushing her majesty’s buttons.” Kuro said

Shiro just gave his brother a dry look before looking down at his phone and freezing.

Seeing the look on his brother’s face Kuro asked concerned, “what’s wrong?”

“We have to meet the clients at a tattoo place.”

“Ok?”

“It’s the same one Lance works at.”

“Oh. _Oh!_ Well then, looks like you can’t run away now.” Kuro couldn’t help but tease, laughing at the glare Shiro gave him.

Shiro was screwed.

* * *

 

Shiro felt like he was a little kid again, who was so shy that he’d hide behind his brother, who was always about the same height as him. Shiro wouldn’t say he was hiding, but he did make Kuro walk in front of him when they reached the tattoo shop, Lion’s Roar. Kuro kindly kept his comments to himself, but would look over his shoulder every now and then and let out a disbelieving laugh. The bell on the door rang as Kuro threw the door open and walked in, Shiro keeping as close to him as possible.

“Your majesty.” Kuro drawled at the sight of Allura.

“Ryou, so nice to see you again.” Allura said, leaning over a bit to see Shiro still hiding behind his brother. “Shiro, nice to see you too.”

Knowing he had to move, he walked around his brother and greeted Allura. Shay, the woman who owned the flower shop they used for their events stood behind the counter, her arms wrapped around the waist of what Shiro assumed was her fiancée. He recognised him as one of the people who’d come to bring the flowers in from the trucks on the day of the events. Lance wasn’t in the room. Ok, maybe he could do this.

He congratulated Shay and her new fiancée, Hunk, asking to hear the proposal story, when they wanted the wedding to be, any ideas of themes. Shiro had been so into work mood, he didn’t pay attention to when the door opened again until he noticed Hunk’s attention was taken from him.

“Lance, hey!”

Fuck.

“Oh wow, you guys got here fast; I was only gone for 10 minutes.”

Shiro watched as Lance emerged from his blind spot as he walked around Allura and walked behind the desk, a carrying tray for drinks in his hands. Most of his hair was covered by a neon blue beanie, the colour matching the wave tattoo that crawled up his neck. His blue eyes lit up with recognition when he saw Shiro.

“Hey, it’s you. Shiro right?”

Shiro willed himself not to start blushing. He wasn’t a kid anymore who used to get so red at any attention. “That’s me. It’s good to see you again.”

“Oh, so this is that Shiro.” Shay said. That Shiro? What did that mean?

“Yeah, I meet him when Kya came for her tattoo, the one she showcased on her wedding.” Lance said

“Oh, well this is perfect. Lance is actually Hunk’s best man for the wedding and he’s got pretty amazing fashion sense, so I’m keeping him with me for the whole thing.” Shay said

“Oh well, since you two know each other, Shiro, why don’t you keep Shay company while we plan her wedding?” Allura suggested, though judging from the look, it was an order. He knew exactly what she was doing, forcing him to be around Lance so he’s have to say something.

“Of course.”

“Oh! I forgot I made a mock-up of my bouquet already.” Shay said, disappearing into the back room, the same one Lance always seemed to be in when he’d sneak in and plant the baby’s breath. Shiro got the sprigs of baby’s breath from Shay’s shop. He really, really hoped she didn’t…

She did.

Shay’s bouquet had classic pink cherry blossoms, pink tinted peonies, pink hydrangeas and pink tinted baby’s breath.

“I know it’s a lot of pink but the pink hydrangeas mean love and heartfelt emotions, peonies meaning similar things as well as the baby’s breath. The cherry blossoms are for when Hunk confessed to me during the Cherry Blossom Festival. He didn’t know his flowers and picked up baby’s breath instead of hydrangeas.” Shay said, looking at her fiancée with a loving look on her face, while Hunk turned red but the same look on his own face. Shiro noticed Lance was sneakily snapping a picture of his friends. “The baby’s breath are the same ones you get Shiro.”

Shiro felt his whole body stiffen as Lance looked over at him, with a questioning look.

“Hey, is that a cat tattoo?” Kuro asked Lance, getting the attention away from Shiro.

“Huh, oh yeah. That’s my girl Blue.” Lance said, showing off the cartoon like drawing of a blue tinted cat curled on Lance’s wrist.

“Do I really have to do this?” Shiro whispered to Allura

“Shay is our bride Shiro. I know this will be awkward but take this as the world’s way of telling you to man up and talk to him.” Allura whispered back

“I run off every time I come here!”

“Well if you even think about doing that when he’s with Shay, I will personally hurt you. Just, say something ok?”

Shiro was sure if the world continued on its trek, he wouldn’t have a choice.

* * *

 

“I’m so sorry.” Shay said as they stood in a nail salon. Lance was joining them because Shiro wanted an excuse to find out more of what Shay wanted other than the wedding being in Hawaii at Hunk’s family’s house. Shay wasn’t picky and Hunk hadn’t been a huge help either. Allura wanted something to go off of so that was Shiro’s job. “I should have guessed the flowers were for Lance. First time he got them, he asked me what they meant. Affectionate crush huh? Why haven’t you said anything?”

Shiro shrugged as he looked through the different nail polishes. “Me and dating don’t mix because I get too nervous.”

“Lance can get pretty nervous too. He acts like he knows what he’s doing but when someone actually reciprocates the feelings, he becomes a complete mess. I think you two would be messes together.”

Could both be messes together? Wouldn’t that be amazing? Now if only Shiro could get to that point.

Lance came in, his tank top showing off his tattoos and greeted Shay with a hug and a big smile for Shiro.

“Did you want a coloured dress?” Shiro asked as he pulled up his pants to put his feet in the footbath.

“No. white. I know Hunk also wanted to have yellow since it’s his favourite colour.” Shay answered

“Hey, you and Hunk bond over crystals. Any way you can have that?” Lance asked

“I’m sure there is. Are you sure you can’t think of anything else?”

“Hmmm, maybe space? Hunk and I love going to the local planetarium.” Shay said

Shiro nodded. He was sure Allura could work well with that. Plus they knew Shay enough that he was confident they’d be able to make an amazing wedding for her.

“Excuse me?” Shiro asked the manicurist working on Shay’s nails, “is it possible you can do a design on her nails. Cherry blossoms possibly?”

“Shiro.” Shay said, no doubt about to deny it

“I’m paying, it’s fine. Think of it as my gift of congratulations.”

Lance had finished before anyone, telling them he couldn’t do a manicure because he did have appointments that afternoon. When Shiro was done, he saw Shay give him a look. Gez, it was like he was being pushed from all sides.

“Nice nails.” Lance said, nodding to Shiro’s just dried dark purple nails

“Thanks.”

“I didn’t think I’d see you again so soon. Seems like not that long ago you came in to help another bride with a tattoo. Baby’s breath.”

“Yeah.” Shiro said. He could tell Lance. The subject was up, he could tell Lance right now.

“It’s really funny. After the wedding, I got a secret admirer.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, they left baby’s breath. I had to double check the meaning with Shay but pink tinted ones mean affectionate crush, which is kinda sweet. They always seem to leave it when I’m not out in front. It’s sweet but also kinda frustrating.”

“Really?” Shiro could hear voices that sounded like Allura, Kuro and Shay yelling at him to say something.

Lance shrugged, “yeah. I’d like to know who this person is though. I’m kinda interested in someone else and if it turns out they’re the same person, that would be amazing.”

The admition that Lance was interested in someone stopped Shiro. Did he not have a chance?

_I think you two would be messes together_

_Take this as the world’s way of telling you to man up and talk to him_

Shiro knew that baby’s breath lasted longer than most flowers, which is why they were usually in wedding bouquets to mean the long life together. Shiro wasn’t saying he’d jump into marriage immediately, but how he felt about Lance was much different than any of his other crushes. Everyone kept telling him to go forward and honestly, Shiro was getting tired with being that shy kid who’d hide instead of doing something. And he was going to do something.

* * *

 

Shiro took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He was glad that Shay didn’t say anything as she wrapped the small bouquet of baby’s breath for him earlier. He was going to do this. He was actually going to do this. He took another deep breath and got out of his car, squeezing the stems of the flowers in his hand as he approached Lion’s Roar. He peeked around the glass and saw the place was empty. An open laptop covered in stickers was the only indication someone was inside. Shiro took one more breath before going and opening the door, the bell signalling his entry. He had to force his body not to turn tail when he heard someone yell for him to wait. A head poked out from the doorway to the back, the smile on the pierced face making Shiro think of his brother when the guy spotted the flowers in Shiro’s hands.

“Lance! Lance, get out here!” the guy yelled as he disappeared into the back

From much farther away he heard Lance yell, “what is it mullet? I’m on break! Ow, hey!”

“Trust me; you’re going to want to see this. Come on.”

Shiro reminded himself not to turn and run off when Lance was shoved out from the back, though his attention was still on the guy who had pushed him out.

“Oh my god, what the hell – oh, Shiro. Hi.”

Shiro weakly waved and he felt his face getting hot when he saw Lance noticed the flowers in his hand. He stood very still as he watched Lance come around from behind the desk and walk towards him, his gaze still on the flowers.

“Um, I, I didn’t, um.” Shiro let out a shaky breath and started over, “I’m not suddenly doing this because of what you said yesterday. It’s more of; I’m finally not running away anymore.”

“So the flowers were from…?”

Shiro nodded. “I know I don’t look like it, but I’m really shy. I’m usually too much of a mess to ask anyone out but most of the time it’s not as frustrating as wanting ask you out is. I thought you were really cute and I admired your dedication when I first met you and Kya suggested I give it a chance, but I don’t usually flirt with anyone associated with my bride in case anything happens. I was sure you were flirting at the reception.”

“I was.” Lance answered, looking rather shy himself.

“Oh, well, uh. I, um, I decided to give it a try after the wedding cause I haven’t been this interested in a long time and you knew a lot about baby’s breath, which usually, not a lot of people do, so I was gonna ask and give you the baby’s breath but um, I got scared and left before you came out from the back.”

“And all the other times?”

Shiro shrugged, knowing his face was red and he was feeling embarrassed. “Like I said, I’m really shy and I get scared really easily. Everyone’s been telling me that I should talk to you, but I get really scared and Shay almost gave me away the day of her consultation. It’s just, when you mentioned you were interested in someone, I felt like if I didn’t say anything, I’d regret it, and it’s taking everything in me not to hightail it out of here like I usually do.”

“Wow. I’ve got to admit, I wouldn’t guess a guy like you would get embarrassed so easily.” Lance said, looking at Shiro whose face was growing more and more red. “I was actually talking about you when I mentioned I was interested. It’s just, I didn’t know how to contact you and I didn’t want to bug Kya about it because I didn’t think she’d be allowed to give your personal number out.”

“I don’t think she’d of minded.” Shiro pointed out, thinking of the rocker bride and how she teased him when he first met Lance

“I guess. So um, pink baby’s breath?”

“They mean affectionate crush. The white usual means um, everlasting and undying love and self-discipline to stay focused on love.”

“Everlasting love huh?” Lance said, this look on his face, making Shiro feel even more embarrassed. It was a miracle he hadn’t passed out from all the blood rushing to his head. “Well, I’m willing to find out if we could reach there, if you are too?” Shiro nodded and let Lance take the bouquet of flowers out of Shiro’s hands, to which Shiro focused on his feet, making Lance laugh. “You’re really cute when you’re shy.”

“I get shy around cute people, I can’t help it.” Shiro said, noticing Lance seemed to stiffen and when he looked up, Lance’s face was turning slightly red. “Are you blushing?”

“n-no!”

“Yes!” the voice from before called. Shiro almost forgot they weren’t really alone.

“Shut up mullet!” Lance yelled over his shoulder before turning back to Shiro. “Um, well, can I get your number? So I can figure out when you’re free?”

“Oh, of course. But my next day off is next week though.”

“Don’t worry. I think we both need time to calm ourselves down. Is it ok if I still text you though?”

Shiro nodded, pulling his phone out of his pocket and passing it to Lance when he noticed a marking on Lance’s wrist. “Are those, baby’s breath?”

Lance looked at his marked arm, giving Shiro a small smile. “It’s marker. I kept thinking about how I wanted to meet my secret admirer and hoping it was you and all your sprigs are still alive so I just used them as inspiration.”

Shiro hoped everything went well with him and Lance, because he wanted to ask Lance to draw those same buds on his own wrist. Not yet though, they still had to get their own pink blossoms to turn white.


End file.
